Wheels don't fit

[Slush Box]

Ok I put this in here because the wheels and tires section was over ran with of road posts so. Well I got some 18x8 Falken Torgue5 wheels in. Offset is fine and lug pattern works but my hubs are too big. Do 2001-2003 Explorer Sports and Sport Tracs 2001-2004 have the same hub size as the older Explorer's around 1997 and 1998. I got wheels from Falken and my hubs are too small so the wheels wouldn't go all the way on to the brakes. there is like maybe an inch away from going on. I could get them bored out but the hubs in front would then stick out and couldn't use the caps. I just think the 01 sports have different hubs than the older Explorer or am I wrong and these wheels are like the 03 Cobra wheels. I did later see a picture in a mag of the wheels on a Cobra. Well I did a search for Wheel Spacers but couldn't find out enough info, Where do they make wheels spacers and what size spacers would be enough to clear everything and make these work. I really would like to keep these wheels. Thanks in advance.

[Hartman]

The hub size is all the same. Is your truck a 2WD or 4WD? My guess would be you bought FWD rims, and not all FWD rims have a big enough cutout in the center for hubs that are found on trucks. I would return the rims and look for something that is made for trucks.

[Slush Box]

There made for rear wheel drive. There for Mustangs mainly I found the wheels in a Mustang Magazine. My truck is a 2WD so is it the same hub size as like yours and older Explorer's like yours. I think there diseigned for the 03 Cobra and I have heard on here that the 03 Cobra wheels have smaller hub holes and have to bored out. I want to get spacers for it like 1" to just offset it a little and get them on there. Shouldn't be a bad thing I guess.

[Hartman]

I wouldn't recommend running a 1" spacer. Actually I wouldn't recommend running any type of spacer. Besides the fact that they will push your wheels out of the fenders, they are also unsafe IMO.

[hydroxy]

I run 1/4" spacers upfront - I think it really helps the stance. I also figure since my wheels are so it probably doesn't effect the bearing toooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much.

As for the wheels... just gives you a better excuse to get bigger ones =)

[SiLenZe]

if they are mad for a mustang then the offset is wrong anyway. 1.5" spacers will put them just a little farther out then stock.
get spacers like these and load centric lug nuts as pictured

[Hartman]

Good god, 1.5" spacers? Please, for your sake, do not do that.

[racebronco2]

Originally Posted by Hartman

Good god, 1.5" spacers? Please, for your sake, do not do that.

i have used high quality spacers on my b2 and 2000 x-v8 .... the front are 1 1/4 and the rears are 1 3/4 .... this is the only way that i could put on 2000 svt rims on my suv's because of the 5 7'8 back spacing on the mustang verses 3 3'4 back spacing for the x, and i autocross my b2 and with the shelby club here at willow springs in cal. my b2 broke and i took my x on the track with kuhmo race tires .... on the straights i was doing about 85 mph and i was keeping up with a few mustangs and 1 lightning in the curves ..... i did this for two sessions which is 20 min. each ..... years ago some of the wheel spacers were not made out of aircraft aluminum .... i bought them from www.wheelspacers.com in california.
by the way i am a solo2 driving instructor, my x has ee supercharger, rear sway bar, edelbrock front shock, cat back exhaust, lowered 2" and is awd .... so if i can do this with a vehicle that weighs about 4400 lbs with race tires i think that it should be no problem using them on the street

[Hartman]

Ok so your truck survived 40 minutes of driving with spacers on. What does that prove? Ever think about the long term effects on the bearings? Ever thing of what might happen if a bearing breaks because those spacers are putting too much stress on them?

Bottom line is, spacers are NO GOOD in my mind and I will continue to advise against them for use on the street. Others might feel differently.

[Mbrooks420]

Spacers aren't the answer. Researching what wheels will fit, and buying those is a much better route.

[X~FACTOR]

^True. But sometimes you do try to work with what you already have. Also, when you don't do the homework and get the wrong wheel and mount them, you can't return them anymore and so you are stuck with them. This is where the spacers are used. Not the most safest solution but sometimes you don't have a choice.

[Hartman]

You're better off returning or selling the wheels then using spacers. What is considered a "quality" set of spacers cost $400 anyway.

[draft]

Once "mounted", a rim is no longer returnable and used. So you may very well be stuck with them.

[racebronco2]

Ever think about the long term effects on the bearings? Ever thing of what might happen if a bearing breaks because those spacers are putting too much stress on them? what extra stress when the front track is almost the same as stock due to the different backspacing and the rear is only about 1" wider than stock .... most after market rims are not even this close to the factory font or rear track

Spacers aren't the answer. Researching what wheels will fit, and buying those is a much better route. sometimes the wheels that you want are not available in the x backspacing

spacers cost 260.00 .... 17 x 8 2000 svt rims with victor racers 600.00, i knew when i bought them i would have to use spacers .... one or two years ford offered cobra r rims for the thunderbird which are the correct offset for the x but they are very rear ..... and also i have had them on my b2 at several autocross events which will put more stress on them then open track events

[the_tool_man]

Hi all:

Spacers don't cause more stress on wheel bearings unless you change the offset of the wheel relative to stock. If you are using spacers to correct for wheels with too much backspacing, and as a result, come close to the designed offset for the vehicle, the bearings won't know the difference.

If designed and installed properly, wheel spacers aren't unsafe. Buy good ones, install them correctly, and inspect them regularly (as you should with other drivetrain components, like bearings, brakes, etc.). I've been running a pair of 1-1/4" H&R's on the back of my Mustang Cobra for years to correct the stock "tucked way in" look. There are many many others who use spacers on their Mustangs, some of which make 3 times as much horsepower and withstand much more cornering load than any Explorer is likely to see. I have never seen any reports of spacer or stud failures when properly used. I have seen reports of excessive vibration, usually due to using cheap cast spacers, or incorrect mounting, but that's a different story.

The best thing to do, as others have said, is to get the correct wheel to begin with. However, there are times when that isn't possible (no one makes a '98 Cobra wheel with the "correct" offset for my car - my opinion).

Regards,
John.

[NusenseSD]

exactly I have 2" wheel adapters on my truck and have had no problems in the 3 years those adapters have been bolted up. The wheels do not stick out any ruther than the stock ones did. I used the adapters cause I got a smokin deal on some 02 Lexus GS430 wheels. ($350) The adpaters cost me $300 so in total rims, tires, and adapters cost me $650..

As long as you get adapters not spacers you should be fine. Spacers are generally a small piece of metal placed between te wheel and the lug nut to push the wheel out less than a inch. With this you will not be able to torque the wheels correctly. Also if you run spacers you need longer studs since you aren't able to tighten the nut with the same amount of thread as before..


wheel spacer


wheel adapter

[FoMoCoEdge]

wheres a good place to get adapters, not spacers?

[SiLenZe]

http://www.truckperformance.com/ has some.

[NusenseSD]

http://www.wheeladapter.com/ This is where I got my adapters from.. Actually drove up to the guys shop to get them.. Really nice guy..

[CDW6212R]

Hello all, here's two more cents. I have a 1998 Mountaineer with 96 Cobra 17x8's and 255/60/17 tires. They have 27,000 miles on them and are almost a perfect fit. I have been planning to replace the tires soon, and I have been considering 18x8's or 18x8.5's.

Hartman, the bearings only care where the centerline of the wheel is. Most all of us have shifted that out slightly, but spacers don't directly hurt bearings.

The biggest danger with using spacers is that the wheel force(sheer) is concentrated farther out along the studs. The studs are extremely strong at the mounting pad, but they are much weaker as you move out away from the pad.
I am glad that some people are having success with spacers and adapters, because I have decided to try some 1/4" Design Deluxe spacers(COD$180). I was told that you must have at least 1/2" of threads, but boy that's not much.
The "books" suggest we need 0 to 20mm of offset. That may be correct for a stock 7" wheel, but not for an 8" or larger wheel. I would have bought some 18's, but "they" want me to buy 20mm wheels, which would stick out 16.35mm farther than what I have. 35mm wheels are currently unavailable, and I would have to use some spacers to push the wheels back out.
I looked hard for a Speedline 2209, but the closest offset was 40mm, and it had too small of a hub bore. I need a wheel with about 25-30mm of offset(8.5"wide), so I'll pass for now , and just get some 275/60/17 Kumhos.

For anyone who looks at adapters(thicker), try to get the H&R brand. They are made from some special material that sounds like it is better than the 6061 aluminum. Also, added insurance could be had by installing ARP studs, which would be much stronger, and the proper length.
Good luck all,
DW